Preface
Soil
degradation in Sub-Sahara Africa has been much debated in the past
decades. Although there are many different views, at the extremes there
are those who are of the opinion that the problem is very serious and the
main cause for the poverty and food crises and those that are convinced
that it is less of a problem, that African farmers are well aware of the
situation and have found ways to deal with soil degradation. Studying the
scientific literature on soil degradation in Sub-Sahara Africa one has the
impression that the opinions are as diverse as African farming systems.
In
March 2002 the ISRIC – World Soil Information centre organised a
scientific meeting to discuss the progress in studies on soil degradation
in Sub-Sahara Africa. During the meeting, there was ample time for
discussion and it became clear that soil degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa
is a well-suited subject for a hot debate. The papers presented in this
special issue of Land Use Policy are the keynote papers of the ISRIC
meeting and reflect the heterogeneity of information and views.
Although
the debate on soil degradation will undoubtedly continue, the papers in
this issue show the wealth of views and opinions that exist on the
subject. The overall impression is that the views are diffuse but we
think that this issue throws some new light on highly important phenomena:
soil use and management in the poorest continents of the world.
Alfred
Hartemink
Herman
van Keulen
Guest-editors
Land Use Policy
August,
2003
Land
Use Policy
22 (1)
Edited
by A.E. Hartemink and H.
van keulen
Special Issue: Soil Degradation in Subsahara Africa
Contents
Preface
A.E.
Hartemink and H. van Keulen
Environmental
crisis or ‘lie of the land’? The debate on soil degradation in Africa
N.
Koning and E.M.A. Smaling
Nutrient
balances at farm level in Machakos (Kenya), using a participatory nutrient
monitoring (NUTMON) approach
L.N.
Gachimbi, H. van Keulen, E.G. Thuranira, A.M. Karuku, A. de Jager, S.
Nguluu, B.M. Ikombo, J.M. Kinama, J.K. Itabari, S.M. Nandwa
Turning
the tides of soil degradation in Africa: capturing the reality and
exploring opportunities
F.N.
Muchena, D.D. Onduru, G.N Gachini and A. de Jager
Indigenous
knowledge and the social shaping of soil investments: critical
perspectives on the assessment of soil degradation.
J.R.
Fairhead
Do
small farmers’ achievement contradict the nutrient depletion scenarios
for Africa?
M.
Mortimore and F. Harris
Participatory
technology, policy and institutional development to address soil fertility
degradation in Africa
A.
de Jager
Soil
fertility decline and economic policy reform in Sub-Saharan Africa
N. Heerink
These papers can be accessed through:
Land
Use Policy homepage:
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